Spine board apparatus

ABSTRACT

SPINE BOARD APPARATUS, OF THE TYPE TO BE CARRIED, DISMANTLED, AND ASSEMBLED IN THE COURSE OF RESCUING FRACTURE PATIENTS. THE BOARD CONSTRUCTION IS LIGHTWEIGHT, BEING REINFORCED INWARDLY FROM CENTER EDGES TO DEEPRE CENTERLINE BEAMS. EDGE CHANNELS WITH TRUST REINFORCEMENTS SERVE WITH THE BEAMS TO SUPPORT THE BOARD WHEN IT IS ASSEMBLED, AND PERMIT HOISTING. LATCHING PINS ARE PRE-POSITIONED ON THE CHANNELS.

Oct. 12, 1971 p EL 3,611,454

SPINE BOARD APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1970 ALLEN C2 KUPPE (HQ. a @1 Z United States Patent m 3,611,454 SPINE BOARD APPARATUS Allen P. Klippel, 7112 Wydown Blvd., Clayton, Mo. 63105 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 793,514,

June 23, 1969. This application June 24, 1970,

Ser. No. 49,359

Int. Cl. A61g 7/10 US. Cl. -82 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Spine board apparatus, of the type to be carried, dismantled, and assembled in the course of rescuing fracture patients. The board construction is lightweight, being reinforced inwardly from center edges to deeper centerline beams. Edge channels with truss reinforcements serve with the beams to support the board when it is assembled, and permit hoisting. Latching pins are pre-positioned on the channels.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATIONS The present invention is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 793,514, now Pat. No. 3,566,422, entitled Spine Board Apparatus for Rescue of Fracture Patients and the Like, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. To the extent of common subject matter, priority is claimed to its filing date, an. 23, 1969.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION My said prior application discloses spine board apparatus which includes a short upper board member, at the rear of which is a top-to-bottom centerline keel. This is first secured behind the patients back, to restrain his head and upper body, before moving him from the crash site. The patient is then moved, to position the upper board member on a flat surface such as a pavement, tilted side- Wards to rest on the keel and on one of its edges.

The lower board member of my prior application has a similar top-to-bottom centerline keel. Tilting it with its corresponding edge downward, it is inserted under the lower body of the patient and brought into alignment with the upper board member. The opposite side edges will be raised from the pavement, in alignment with each other. A grooved edge rail or connector member is applied over the edge so raised, aligned by fixed pins fitting into grooves, and securely latched by removable pins through bores in the grooved connectors and in the upper and lower board members. Then, by pressing downward on the connector member so aflixed, the two boards are tilted on their centerline keels, raising the opposite edges and permitting a similar grooved connector member to join them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Summarizing the present invention generally, and without limiting it, the present apparatus provides improvements to my apparatus described in the co-pending application. In the presently preferred embodiment, upper and lower board members are thicker at their centerlines, to accommodate interior top-to-bottom beams. Each board member has a front, substantially flat, surface and a rear surface which tapers to the deeper central portion. Interior structural reinforcements extend from the edges laterally to and across the interior beams adjacent to the centerlines.

As connector members at the left and right edges, I use inward facing metal channels. Removable latching pins are attached to the channels and pre-positioned by leaf springs. To the channel ends are secured the ends of a bent lower truss member. A spacer is secured between the channel and the truss member midway between these ends.

3,611,454 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 The midpoint of the truss member beneath the spacer serves as a foot, and, with the thick centerline structure, supports the assembled spine board. Optionally, an upper bent truss member may be secured above the channel member, with a spacer at its midpoint. Such upper members add strength and facilitate hoisting of the patient on the assembled spine board apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The principal members of the present improved spine board correspond generally in their functions with those of my co-pending application. Certain specialized features shown in that application, such as a perineal post, adjustable means to immobilize lower limbs, and others, are not shown in the drawings herewith, it being understood that such features may be used with the present apparatus if desired.

An upper spine board member generally designated 10 includes a rounded head portion 11 which merges into a generally rectangular upper board portion 12. The left and right side edges 13, 14 of the rectangular portion 12 include simple interior edge reinforcing strips 15, which join an arcuate top edge reinforcing strip 16 as shown in FIG. 1. Spaced from each other and extending parallel to a centerline aa are a pair of parallel interior beams 17 whose under surfaces are cross notched to receive upper surface notches of transverse tapering ribs 20, which extend between the reinforcing strips 15. As best seen in FIG. 3, the beams 17 are substantially thicker than the reinforcing strips 15; the ribs 20 taper in thickness from that of the reinforcing strips 15 to that of the interior beams 17.

The side edge reinforcing strips 15, top edge reinforcing strips 16, interior beams 17 and tapering ribs 20' are secured together as by gluing to serve as an interior structural framework. In the spaces between these members of the framework, fillers 21 of rigid lightweight material such as polystyrene foam are adhered. The structure is completed by laminating thereon a thin, abrasion-resistant structural top sheet 23 and a similar bottom sheet 24. The lowermost of the ribs 20 functions as a bottom edge 22 of upper board member 10.

Onto the rounded top portion 11 is secured a neck support cushion 26 and flexible neck restraining straps 27. Upper body reinforcing straps 28, 29 are provided, as shown, passing through vertical slots 30 inwardly of the reinforcing strips 15. The lower of the straps 29 is brought downward through the upper board member 10 and across through a lateral slot 31 through the fillers 21 and beams 17, and thence upward, as best shown in FIG. 3.

A lower board member generally designated 35, having left and right side edges 13, 14, is formed substantially similarly, except without the rounded top portion 11. Its upper edge 36 is bounded by the first of a series of transverse ribs 20', its lower edge 37 is another of the ribs 20; they extend between left and right edge reinforcements 15 and are joined by notches with interior beams 38 at each side of a longitudinal centerline aa. Fillers 21 are adhered in the spacings of this framework; the structure is completed by adhering an upper structural sheet 39 and a lower structural sheet 40. A lower body restraining strap 41 is inserted through vertical slots 30 in the same manner as has heretofore been described.

The upper board member and lower board member 35 are adapted to be connected -with their upper surface sheets 23, 39 in alignment and their edge ribs 22, 36 abutting. Connector members, securable to hold them in such alignment, are shown in the enlarged elevational view FIG. 2.

The preferred form of connector member includes an extruded aluminum channel generally designated 45, positioned so that its deep groove 46 faces inward. Beneath the channel 45 is a lower truss member 47, bent and flattened at its midpoint portion 48 and at its ends 49. A short, tubular spacer 50 holds the midpoint portion spaced from the lower surface of the channel 45. An upper end bolt 51, a center bolt 52, and a lower end bolt 53 extend vertically across the deep inward-facing groove 46 of the channel 45. The end bolts 51, 53 secure the channel 45 to the ends 49 of the truss member 47; the central bolt 52 secures the spacer 50 between the truss member 47 and the channel 45. The length of the spacer 50 is such that the truss member midpoint portion 48 will serve as a supporting foot, extending downward from the top structural sheets 23, 39 substantially the same distance as the lower structural sheets 24, 30 are held by the beams 17, 38. Thus, when the apparatus is assembled, the midpoint portions 48 will be substantially in a plane with each other and with the centerline balancing support provided by the thickened midportions of the upper and lower board members 10, 35.

Small cut-outs 54 are provided in the left and right edge reinforcing strips at the abutting edge ribs 22, 36 and at spacings above and below them equal to the spacings from the center bolts 52 to the fixed end bolts 51, 53. These align the board members 10, 35 and connector channels 45 prior to latching.'For latching at intermediate spacings measured from the center bolt 52, each channel 45 has aligned vertical bores 56. At corresponding spacings from the abutting edges 22, 36, the edge reinforcing strips 15 of the board members 10, 35 have latching bores 55. The channel bores 56 and latching bores 55 are engaged on assembly by latching pins 58, retained at the upper surface of each channel 45 and p'repositioned by leaf springs 59 by the center bolts 52, as shown in FIG. 2.

Optionally, a bent upper truss member 60 may be utilized. As shown in phantom lines in FIG. 2, the upper truss member 60 is formed similarly to the lower truss member 47 but a greater depth; thus, a pair of spacers 50 may be inserted between its flattened center midpoint portion 61 and the upper surface of the channel 45, while its flattened end portions 62 are secured directly to said surface, by the same bolts 51, 52, 53 which secure the lower truss member 47.

The apparatus is used much like the apparatus described in my prior application. With the patients head and upper body restrained by the neck restraining straps 27 and upper body restraint straps 28, the upper board 10 is laid on a fiat surface, supported tiltedly between one of its side edges 13, 14 and the deepened centerline balancing support portion provided by the beams 17. The lower board member 37 is brought into position, inserting its corresponding side edge 13 or 14 under the lower body of the patient and bringing its upper edge rib 36 abuttingly against the bottom edge rib 22 of bringing its upper edge rib 36 abuttingly against the bottom edge rib 22 of the upper board member. In this tilted position the opposite side edges are thus elevated and held in alignment. One of the side edge channels 45 is positioned on these elevated edges, longitudinally aligned so that the bolts 51, 52, 53 enter the edge notches 54, and the grooves 46 of the channel members 45 are pressed inwards. This brings the latching bores 55 into registration with the aligned bores 56. The latching pins 4 58, previously resting against the upper surface of the channel 45 (as shown at the right side of FIG. 2) are then pressed downward through the aligned bores 56 and latching bores 55, securing the channel 45 at such elevated side.

The channel 45 so secured is then pressed downwardly until the lower truss midpoint portion 48 comes into contact with the pavement, raising the opposite side edges of the board members 10, 35 a similar distance and permitting affixment of the other channel 45 thereto in the same manner. When affixed, the two lower truss midpoint portions 48 will 'be opposite each other, serving as feet in substantially the same plane as the lower centerline portions of the board members 10, 35.

While the strength and rigidity so afforded are sufficient for handling the spine board apparatus under difficult conditions, adding the upper truss members 60 and associated spacers 50 adds greatly to this strength. This added strength provides assurance of security if the spine board with patient thereon is to be hoisted. For purpose of hoisting, eye bolts may be substituted for the end bolts 51, 53.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in rescuing and transporting fracture patients,

spine board apparatus to be assembled in the course of rescue, comprising an upper board member including a forward support surface terminating laterally in left and right side edges spaced from a top-to-bottom centerline, and having means to restrain the head and upper body of a patient, further comprising a lower board member including a forward support surface terminating laterally in left and right side edges spaced from a top-to-bottom centerline, and having means to restrain the lower body of a patient, and

means to connect said upper board member and lower board member to each other, said means including connector members securable to their said left edges and to their said right edges and extending from the upper to the lower board member,

the upper board member and lower board member each having a portion along said centerline of substantially greater depth than said left and right edges,

whereby to provide centerline balancing support prior to securing said connector members onto said edges.

2. For use in rescuing and transporting fracture patients,

spine board apparatus to be assembled in the course of rescue, comprising an upper board member including a forward support surface terminating laterally in left and right side edges spaced from a top-tobottom centerline, and having means to restrain the head and upper body of a patient,

a lower board member including a forward support surface terminating laterally in left and right side edges spaced from a top-to-bottom centerline, and having means to restrain the lower body of a patient, and

means to connect said upper board member and lower board member to each other, said means including connector members securable along the side edges of said upper and lower board members, whereby to join them, each connector member comprising an inward-facing channel,

a bent lower truss member secured at at least two points to the under side of each said channel, and

a spacer secured between said channel and truss member midway between said two points,

whereby on securing the connector members over the edges, portions of the lower truss members beneath said spacers will serve as supporting feet substantially in a plane with such centerline balancing support and with each other.

3. Spine board apparatus as defined in claim 2,

wherein each connector member further has a bent upper truss member secured at at least two points to the upper side of said channel, and

a spacer secured between said channel and truss member midway between said two points.

'4. For use in rescuing and transporting fracture patients,

spine board apparatus to be assembled in the course of rescue, comprising an upper board member including a forward support surface terminating laterally in left and right side edges and having means to restrain the head and upper body of a patient,

a lower board member including a forward support surface terminating laterally in left and right side edges and having means to restrain the lower body of a patient,

the left and right side edges of the upper and lower board members each having a notch and a bore spaced therefrom, and

connector members including channels having inwardfacing grooves, each channel member having fixed means vertically spanning its groove, said fixed means being spaced apart from each other a distance equal to the spacing of the notches from each other when the upper and lower board members are so positioned adjacent to each other, and latch means to engage the bores of the board edges, said latch means being spaced from the fixed means a distance equal to the spacing, in the board mem ber edges, of said bores from said notches, the latch means having means, affixed to the connector members, to retain and pre-position said latch means for insertion through the bores of the board members.

5. Spine board apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the latch means includes bores in the connector members adapted for registration with the bores in the board member edges, and I each means to retain and pre-position comprises a leaf spring affixed to a surface of the connector member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,511,061 6/1950 Hughes 5-82 2,675,564 4/1954 Hughes 582 3,414,914 12/1968 Gramins 582 3,566,422 3/1971 Klippel 582 JAMES C. MITCHELL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X-R. 12883 

